Spring-hinge



(No Model.)

F. W. HOEFER.

SPRING HINGE.

No. 457,720. Patented Aug. 11,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK WILLIAM HOEFER, OF FREEPORFILLINOIS.

SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,720, dated August11, 1891.

Application filed July 31, 1890. Serial No. 360,484. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern;

,Be it known that I, FREDERICK WILLIAM HOEFER, of Freeport, Stephen soncounty, Illinois, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements inSpring-Hinges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon. i

The object of my invention is to furnish a cheap, simply-constructed,and durable springhinge, the parts of which can be easily put togetherand will not require any subsequent finishing after they are assembled.

In the drawings, Figure l is aplan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse section therethrough, taken on dotted line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a longitudinal central section of my hinge. Fig. 4 is a plan viewshowing the hood broken away. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken ondotted line 5 5, Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a plan View of a modification ofmy invention.

Referring to the drawings, A and A represent the two leaves orscrew-plates of my invention, which may be of any suitabledesigncircular or rectangular-and are connected by suitable lugs in suchmanner that the lugs to a. or plate A preferably come between and lapagainst the inner surface of the lugs a a, of the plate A. These lugsare pivotally connected by pivotal studs 12 19, projecting from lugs ainto suitable recesses in lugs a a, one of which latter is cut away tothe edge of the lug, so as to make a passage 6' thereto for thecontiguous pivotal stud, as a reference to the drawings will show.

Preferably cast integrant with and projecting centrally from the inneredge of plate A is a circular dome or hood B, which has a stud cprojecting downward at right angles from the inner surface of the roofthereof and at right angles to the plane of the screw-plate A, to whichsaid hood is connected. Placed upon this stud from the under side of theplate A is a spiral spring 0, consisting, preferably, of not more thantwo or three coils and having its ends 01 d terminate so that theyrespectively extend in opposite directions to each other and parallel tothe center of oscillation of the hinge. They pass through suitableopenings in the hood and terminate near the lugsa of the plate A, andthe extremities of these ends dd are hooked, so as to retain and preventfrom slipping off thereof the links e c. The links e c transverselyconnect the extremities of the said ends of spring 0 (which latter, itwill be borne in mind, is secured to plate A) to plate A at. points nextto the inner longitudinal edge thereof and below the pivotal center ofthe hinge. Thus when the hinge is opened and the plates are moved so asto close the same, or vice versa, as the points at which the links 6 aresecured to plate A move away from plate A said links,

pulling on the ends of the spring, tighten the same until the planes ofsaid plates are about at right angles to each other, whereupon as theypass such position said points of connection again approach the plate Aand the spring, assisting the movement, rapidly closes or opens theplates, as the case may be. It will thus be noticed that the tendency ofthe spring is to restore the plates to their original positions whilemoving in a given direction until past the positional; which they are atright angles to each other, whereupon it assists them. This is sowhether the hinge is being opened or closed.

I prefer to fasten vthe ends of the links adjacent to plate A to thesame by making the eyes ff therein, which will be next the inner edge ofsaid plate and in transverse register with the ends of spring 0. Thisleaves a short web, on which said links can obtain a purchase. Studsprojectingfrom said plate A, however, would answer just as well.

It is obvious that instead of the stud upon which the spring is secureddepending from" the inner surface of the roof of the dome or hood itcould project outward from the plate A andthe hood be dispensed with. Ineither event, however, plate A, if its inner edge is built up too nearthe adjacent edge of plate A, would have to be cut away to accommodatethe same. Should the stud project outward, a modification suggestsitself, which is subordinate to the spirit of my invention and is shownin Fig. 6. fastening one end of the spring E to the stud F and the otherend in a revolving hood or head G, which is journaled on the outer endThis consists simply of of said stud and has arms 9 g projectingtherefrom in directions diametrically opposite and parallel withoscillating center of the hinge. To the end of these arms are securedthe connecting spring-links h h, which are-substantially like thosehereinbefore described with reference to the design of hinge shown inthe first five figures of the drawings.

The ends d d of spring G might, by being bent L-shaped, attach direct toplate A, thus dispensing with the links 6 e. I prefer the use of thelatter, however.

What I claim is-- 1. The combination, with the screwu-plates of aspring-hinge, one of which is provided with a stud projecting at rightangles to the face thereof at a point adjacent to its inner edge, of aspiral spring coiled upon said stud and having its ends extendingtangentially and connected laterally to the other plate, as

set forth.

2. The combination, with the screw-plates of a spring-hinge, one ofwhich has a stud projecting therefrom at right angles to the facethereof at a point adjacent to its inner edge at about its center oflength, of a spiral spring coiled upon said stud, having its endsextending tangentially in opposite directions, and links connecting theends of said spring to the other plate, as set forth.

3. The combination, with the screw-plates of a spring-hinge, one ofwhich has a hood formed integrant therewith at about its center oflength adjacent to its inner edge, and a stud projecting downward fromthe inner surface of the roof of ,said hood, of a spiral spring coiledupon said stud and having its end ex' tending tangentially in oppositedirections through suitable openings in said hood, and links connectingthe ends of said spring to the opposite plate, as set forth.

FREDERICK WILLIAM HOE FER.

